Composition containing cellulose derivatives



Patented Oct 3, 19 33 to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware a No Drawing. Original application November 26, Q 1928, Serial No. 322,100. Divided and this ap- I plication January 16, 1930. Serial No. 421,314

6 Claims. (Cl. 10640) Thisapplication is a division of my U. S. application, 322,100 filed Nov. 26, 1928. g I 1 Thisinvention relates to a plastifier or softener for use inconnection with. cellulose derivatives 5 in liquid and plastic compositions, and relates more particularly to the use of a diphenylol naphthene for this purpose.

"An object of, my invention is to prepare a diphenylol naphthene by the condensation of phenol with a cyclic ketone.

Another'object of my invention is to use a diphenylol naphthene such "as dihpenylol cyclohexane, as a plastifier in connection with derivativesof cellulose. Other objects of my invention will appear from the following detailed description. I In the technical applicationsoi cellulose derivatives, "such as cellulose'acetate or cellulose nitrate, it" is often necessary to add to the cellulose derivatives various non-volatile solvents for the same. These non-volatile solvents remain permanently in the article, manufactured. from such compositions, an increase the plasticity and Suppleness of the same andtherefore improve itsvalue in many technical applications. Thus, if films such as photographic fllmstwere made of cellulose acetate or' cellulose nitrate alone, the product would be too hard and brittle for most uses, whereas if these non-volatile :solvents are added, the materials are made soft and elastic. Such non-volatile solvents are known as plastifiers ,or softening agents. However, the number of such plastifiers or softening agents available for use with cellulose derivatives is limited. I have found that the products formed by condensing phenols with hydrogenated quinones such as cyclohexanone are excellent plastifiersfpr cellulose derivatives.

While the condensation products of acetone or ketones of low molecular'weight with phenol are known' and described in theliterature, the condensafion of phenol with ketones'of higher mo lecular weight becomes very diflicult withascent of the molecular weight of the ketone employed. With heavy ketones it is difiicult to cause condensation, and resinous products are formed together with the desired crystalline compounds as by-products. "However, I have found thatf'when the cyclic 'ketones such as cyclohexanone are condensed with phenol, the reaction proceeds extremely smoothly and a good yield is obtained.

In accordance with my invention, I prepare a diphenylol naphthene by condensing together a phenol and a ketoneof thenaphthene series. The productthus formed is eminentlysuitedas a plastifier for use in connection with compositions containing derivatives of cellulose. The phenol employed may be the simple phenols or substituted phenols such as cresol, halogenated phenol and the like. cyclohexanone as the ketone of the "naphthene series, other such ketones or hydrogenated quinones such as cyclopentanone, cycloheptanone or methyl 'cyclohexanone and the like may be employed. Substituted cyclic ketone,-such as the 5 alkyl or 'aryl substitution products of the same may'also be employed;

The diphenylolnaphthene that is formed may be easily'purified by crystallization from benzene or acetic acid and may bejobtained in sufliciently positions such as lacquers, plastic compositions for various uses; and also solutions for films or artificial silk.

Examples of the derivatives of cellulose that may be plastified with my new compound are making cellulose nitrate and organic derivatives of cellulose. The organicderivatives of cellulose'may be organic esters of cellulose'such as cellulose acetate, cellulose formate, cellulose propionate and cellulosebutyrate; or cellulose ethers such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose andbenzyl cellulose. If desired other plastifiers such as diethyl 'phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, triacetin, diphenylol propane, diethyl tartrate, etc., 'may be employed. Suitable volatile. solvents such as acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, benzene, chloroform or suitable mixtures 'of these may be employed for making the solution. If desired, medium. and/or high boiling solvents such as ethyl lactate, butyl alcohol, butyl acetate, ,diace- Q tone alcohol, etc., may also be employed. If desired, resins may also be incorporated in the composition containing the plastifier and the.de-, rivatives of cellulose. This resin may be a synthetic resin compatible with the derivative. of

cellulose employed such as phenol-aldehyde resins prepared in thetpresence of an acid catalyst, diphenylol propane-formaldehyde resin, diphenylol propane-acetone resin, the resin, preparedby condensingtlactic acid, etc. 1 Also natu- 9 While I prefer to employ 6Q ral resins which are compatible with the derivative of cellulose or which are not so incompatible as to destroy the value of the finished product phenylol naphthene, the following description of a method of preparing diphenylol cyclohexane is given:

98 parts by weight of cyclohexanone and 188 parts by weight of phenoltogetheriwith approxmately 35 parts by weight ofnhydrochloric acid solution of 1.19 specific gravity are heated under reflux at to for 24 hours.v On cooling, rapid crystallization occurs, andth'e crystals of the compound diphenylol cyclohexane having the following formula are obtained:

These crystals are filtered off and purified by crystallization from'benzene oracetic acid or may be merely washed with water. I The purified compound thusobtai'ned has ajmelting point of about 187 C. This compound is soluble in acetone and alcohol, and solutions of the same in these solventsare suitable for addition to solutions of cellulose acetate or cellulose nitrate. Whenaddedto cellulose derivatives in the proportion of 1 to 100% of the weight of the cellulose derivative, the diphenylol cyclohexane forms an excellent plastifier, imparting to films or plastics containing it, the desirable qualities of toughness and elasticity.

In order to further illustrate my invention but without being limited thereto, the following specific examples of compositions containing diphenylol cyclohexane and derivatives of celluloseare given. V Example! The following is an example of a coating com+ position: y I

1 Y Parts by e 1 weight Cellulose acetate 10 Diphenylol cyclohexane 4 Acetone 100 If desired, 5 parts of benzyl alcohol or 10 1 parts of ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may be added to retard the evaporation of the-solvent.

Example 7 II The following is an example of a colored'co'atingcomposition, i

As stated, if desired, resins either synthetic or natural may be employed, together with the cellulose derivatives and the plastifier and the following is an example of this:

Parts by I weight Cellulose acetate 10 80 A compatible resin 10 Diphenylol cyclohexane 5 Acetone; 50 Eethyl acetate 30 Diacetone alcohol; 20

The resin may be any of the above mentioned synethetic resins or natural resins that are compatible or onlyslightly compatible with cellulose acetate, as .above described.

.' Example IV The following is an example of the use of my plastifler in connection with cellulose nitrate:

Parts by p g V 7 weight Cellulose nitrate 10 Diphenylol cyclohexane 4 Ester'gum i i 8 Benzene 20 Ethyl'alcohol r a r v10100 Ethyl acetate; 30 Butyl alcohol 20 Butyl acetate"; 20

ErampZe V The following is an example of a solution containing a cellulose ether and diphenylol'cyclohexane:

Parts by V weight Benzyl cellulose 10 Diphenylol cyclohexane A 4 Ethyl acetate 60 Toluene 20 Ethylrlactate 10 'Example' VI The following is an example of a plastic composition:

Parts by 1 7 weight Cellulose acetatem 100 Diphenylol cyclohexane. 40 Alcohol 50 Benzene; 50

. Example VII Acomposition suitable for use in spinning to form artificial silk, bristles or the like may contain: 1 j s 7 332 131130 Cellulose acetate 100 Diphenylol cyclohexane; 15 Acetone 400 Example VIII A solution of low'concentration which is suitable as an adhesive for causing sheets of plastic material containing derivatives of cellulose to adhere to glass for making laminated glass may be made as follows:

Parts by v weight Cellulose acetate 2 Diphenylol cyclohexane 1 A compatible light-colored resin 3 Acetone 100 Ethyl lactate 20 Benzene 50 Alcohol 50 It'isto be understood that the foregoing de- 3. A composition of matter containing cellulose acetate and a diphenylol naphthene as plastifier. 4. A composition of matter containing a derivative of cellulose and diphenylol cyclohexane as plastifier. I

5. A composition of matter containing an or ganic derivative of cellulose and diphenylol cyclohexane as plastifier.

6. A composition of matter containing cellulose acetate and diphenylol cyclohexane as plastifler.

WILLIAM HENRY MOSS. 

